barrett: 160 months old

                                           

We're firmly into the second month of school, and Barrett is hitting his groove!  He's gotten used to the early morning (5:20 am) wake up calls for football practice, and with the help of an amazing tutor, he's now feeling better about Algebra.  He had his "well baby" annual doctor visit, and his pediatrician said he's grown almost 5 inches this year alone, and by the growth charts will probably top out at 6'2"!  I hope so!  He's wearing a size 11 shoe now, and is taller than me.

Barrett plays his third football game of the season tomorrow!  His game last week got delayed for lightning, then ended up being cancelled.  So, he's itching to get to game time tomorrow.  

Likes:  football, hanging out with friends, playing video games, going plane spotting

Dislikes:  algebra

205 months old

                                          

We're squarely into Britton's senior year now!  So far she's had her last first day of high school, Senior Sunrise, and wore her senior jeans that she painted with Shopkins on them.  She also had her NCL Fashion Show, where she modeled clothes for "Game Day" (San Jose Sharks jersey), "Summer Chic" (gauze shirt with linen shorts), and "Formal" (a beautiful mulberry dress from a local dress store).  It feels like the checklist never shortens, as she will be filling out college applications this weekend!  Then Homecoming is right at the beginning of October, so she's already ordered her dress and is making plans.  

She's also been on the hunt for a tasty sparkling water, but all have disappointed her in some way.  So we bought her a SodaStream so she can make her own!  It'll also help use up the syrups from her birthday party.

Likes: getting new glasses this weekend; making her own school lunches

Dislikes: studying for tests

barrett: 159 months old

 

We're in the final stretches of summer, and soon to have an 8th grader on our hands!  While it's easier to get swept up in all the senior stuff his sister has going on, this year is a big one for Barrett too, as it's his last year of junior high.  He's decided on Art 3 (HS credit) and home ec as his electives, and is in all KAP classes.  He's also doing football again, so he's been at football camp all week, rising at 6:15 am every day.  He's playing nose guard this year, same as last year.

Likes: drawing airplanes, football

Dislikes: playing offensive line at football camp, school starting in less than one week

17 years old

                                       

We got to celebrate Britton's 17th birthday before she heads back to school for her senior year!  17 feels like such an in-between birthday - the thrill of driving with your 16th birthday, then the "I'm an adult" ness of your 18th.  But 17 is secretly a fantastic age, because nobody is putting any HUGE landmark milestones on you, and you can just celebrate.  Britton went with her heart for her party theme, and we pulled off a Dunkin Donuts party!  Instead of iced coffees though, she went with a refresher bar, which included green tea, lemonade, syrups, cold foam, and fruit juices and purees. The girls loved getting to make their own concoctions, and I made personalized cups for them - so they knew whose drink was whose!  After drinks, pizza, and cake, they were in the pool for hours, which worked out well since it has been so ridiculously hot all summer.  Britton's favorite gifts included NHL tickets to see the San Jose Sharks, clothing, Dunkin giftcards, perfume, and a Snoopy Owala.

Likes:  iced caramel cappucino, making fun recipes she finds on Instagram

Dislikes: waking up early (ugh)

barrett: 158 months old

 

Barrett wanted his monthly photo with Poppy this time, and she definitely doesn't fit on the chair, so we made do with the couch!  Barrett has had a fun month doing MAC camp (strength and conditioning camp for football), even though it wears him out for the rest of the day.  He got to skip a week when we went on the cruise, and then missed this week because he went to his friend's ranch.  Barrett loves the ranch because they have baby goats, but they did put him to work hauling feed.  Next week he will be in 3D printing camp!

Likes: setting off fireworks at the pool parking lot for the 4th

Dislikes: making his bed

203 months old

 

We are halfway through summer and I don't think we've slowed down, despite this ridiculous heat!  Britton has been busy this summer with a nanny position in our neighborhood for 3 girls 7 years old and younger.  They wear her out, but it's good to having spending money.  Especially because she and the hubs went to Anime Expo in California, where she found many fun keychains and pictures to buy.  Now Britton is gearing up to have her wisdom teeth removed next week - all 4!  She's surprisingly not nervous, but I can't say the same for her mother ;)

Today we went to the first of many senior activities - yearbook photos!  They did the classic black drape and pearl necklace (I told her how I have the same thing on for MY senior photo, eons ago!) and the cap and gown photos.  I wasn't allowed to take any photos except for the "selfie wall" (below).

Likes: being first in line for senior photos - we were in and out in an hour!

Dislikes: narrowing down her birthday wish list

barrett: 157 months old

 

Barrett has started off his summer vacation with a week at Texas A&M Galveston Sea Camp!  For the first time, he went with a friend and they roomed together.  Both enjoyed the Coastal Ecology camp, and got to go on boat rides, dissect a turtle and shark, and visit Moody Gardens.  He came back sunburned and with a ton of sandy laundry.

While Barrett was at camp, we replaced his twin-sized tree house loft bed with a new full-sized bed!  He was ready for a bigger bed, and it worked out to do it while he was gone.  He starts MAC Camp next week, with 2 hours per day of conditioning camp for football.

Likes:  Legos and Microsoft Flight Simulator

Dislikes: oysters